LJ 5.3 swap in 2.5 days

[BenHanksRacing1]

How are you going to get your I/M done that swap is not legal in Utah? If you have any way let us know. Also that radiator and fan are small and I hope that it will cool it so far we have never had one work.

 

[eatrocks]

Yes it will

As long as you have the emissions that go with the donor engine, and the donor is the same year or newer. You can take it to the state and get the paper work so it will pass. Per the emissions people for the state. True there are some shops that will tell you it won’t pass but it will. You may have to take it to the county to get it tested but it will be legal and it will pass.

 

[mbryson]

As long as you have the emissions that go with the donor engine, and the donor is the same year or newer. You can take it to the state and get the paper work so it will pass. Per the emissions people for the state. True there are some shops that will tell you it won’t pass but it will. You may have to take it to the county to get it tested but it will be legal and it will pass.

When I was looking at doing my swap that's exactly the same information I got.

 

[jpndave]

How are you going to get your I/M done that swap is not legal in Utah? If you have any way let us know. Also that radiator and fan are small and I hope that it will cool it so far we have never had one work.

Seriously?

Swaps can be I/M legal in every state. (California is another story....) As long as chassis emmisions are kept and the engine's emmisions are kept and as mentioned above it is the same year or newer there shouldn't be a problem getting it approved.

We use these radiators and fans all the time and have no cooling problems even on hotter setups.

 

[jpndave]

Yes the stock gages all thats not working right is that Tack. Working on that. By keeping the stock cluster you keep all the other things that tie in to it working, radio, cruse contral, pules wipers, air bags, rear window defoger, Plus you dont have to go buy 6 gages wire them up and all that crap!

I am looking forward to Monday, Ken. I really hope your theory proves correct! I didn't get a chance to rig up something to test with yet. I will work on that Monday morning.

 

[jpndave]

Looks like a pretty nice install. I hope you have better luck with the Novak radiator than some others that I know have. Can't wait to drop a 5.3 in the YJ.

What problems are you referring to? These are super nice units. I would be curious to know what the issues have been.

I have started a 6.2 L92 engine with 6L80E auto transmission conversion in a 4dr JK. Should run a little better than the stock V6.

 

[rholbrook]

In Davis County they throw another factor in the mix. It not only has to be from the same year or newer, but it has to the same manufacturer and be offered as an option from the factory. This was straight from one of the big wigs with Davis Co emissions. He is a family friend. This is why my 2.5 Ltr TJ still has a 2.5 Ltr in it. Its not worth the work or cost to go to the 4 Ltr.

 

[eatrocks]

Im not going to debate this here i will say that the state of Utah says that the Jeep can be reinspected and setup to pass, if Davis Co emissions is say that it can not, then I wonder how they justfy it, and were they get the right to do so, i also wonder why it was not told to me when i stoped and talked to them. If you could get the county law and its wording or tell me were its at I would like to follow up. This is part of what we are looking at in making sure this kind of swap can be made and passed.

 

[rholbrook]

I don't want to debate, I want to know the truth because I want to get my 2.5ltr in the junk pile. When you get the by whom and how, I would like to know.

 

[BenHanksRacing1]

Thats what I heard but best of luck a I/M and as far as the radiator goes the cooling capacity is the problem it just is small and the fan has a low CFM under load without a full shroud also it needs to be a dual pass.However if it works great!

 

[eatrocks]

Up dates

Ok so 2 weeks ago today I was pulling the I6
Cooling:
Someplace it was said that the radiator was too small or the fan was not shrouded or both. The radiator is made for this install it is not an off the shelf piece that almost fits. Its fills the full opening though the grill/core support and its almost 4 inches think. I did get the one with the tyranny cooler to run the power steering fluid though. The fan is shrouded and seals to the back of the radiator. And is made to fit. The CFM is 2800 for it, is that too much or too little have wait till summer to know for sure. I have started to make it some the engine PCM is controlling the fan.
Also on the LSX family of engines most just plug the steam port of the top of the engine THIS WILL MAKE THEM OVER HEAT! The port lets steam that is trapped in the heads out and lets the coolant fill that area.
Gages:
Still working on the problem with the tack going to have to build a black box to fix this and hope to have the first try done this weekend

A/C:
Its winter time but that’s moving forward
Now the fun part this is a dream to drive, it starts right up all the time every time. I almost never use 1st gear. In fact I have been skipping lots of gears going right to 6th. Today on the way home I found I had let it slow all the way down to idle in traffic in 6th and just pushed the gas to get it right back up to speed DO THAT WITH THE I6. It’s a bit harder to drive in the wet or slick roads as it’s very easy to break loss the back tires. And one more good point the miles per gallon is at 24 for the 2nd and 3rd tank. I drove it up to Novak in Logan and it went over the mountain pass in 6th were the I6 would have been down to 4th. The jeep just goes like there is nothing holding back.
The jeep will be on display at the 2010 Southwest Crawlfest January 29-30 at the Washington County Fairgrounds.

 

[Grim]

thats awesome , keep us updated , im really curious how the tranny and axels hold up to the extra H.P.

 

[BenHanksRacing1]

Just so you know I was just giving you some advice based on my 15 year experience if you don't want it I don't care, But we have tried it and have had crappy luck with that setup. Also the fans we use are 3200 (CFM) under load and thats is about 6.750 thick so come back in 7 mounts and tell us how well it cools but like I said if it works GREAT I just wanted you to know what we found,

 

[Cougar1]

I had the opportunity to drive Ken's LJ and WOW!!!! It is going to be a lot of fun! We weren't able to give it much more than 1/2 throttle as it is quite a handful. Super controllable and would really lug well at low rpm. But, when you want or needed it the power was there in abundance. Great Job Ken! Here is another photo of the engine bay.

That definitely looks like a quick 2.5 day build?? Is the wiring laying all over the engine permanent?? If so wont that catch on fire?? And whats with the metal thing on top of the battery??

 

[Jesser04]

waiting on a nicer steam port tee. and a nicer recovery tank. there is also some extra wiring for emisions that needs to be ran that right now is coiled under the hood on top of the intake.

It looks like he is taking care of it...

 

[eatrocks]

yes some of the wiring is now ran to were it goes, as the Jeep PCM is still there and both wiring looms have to be mixed. its easy to say the wiring is the hard part. The wiring for the A/C is still there again coiled on the engine. The thing on top of the battey is the GM PCM waiting for its mount to go to its new home as well. You need to look under the hood of a late model GM truck there are wires every were And remember I drive this jeep from Riverdale to SLC 35 miles one way and then back every day. Its not a sunday toy its my one and only daily driver.

 

[eatrocks]

bit more cleaned up

spent some time just cleaning up wiring

 

[eatrocks]

the VSS install

the ring goes on the input of the tcase and the senser goes in to a hole in the Tranny dril and taped to 1/2 20 not hard but the alingment needs to be right

 

[jpndave]

Nice Photos Ken! It sounds like things are progressing nicely. Can't wait to start my JK! This week it should be here!

 

[ageorgakis]

Cool stuff! I contacted Novac a few days for an L33 or an LS2 engine ago and they told me about someone who was happy with a recent install on an LJ. I'm guessing that would be you!

Are you happy with their service and the quality of their products? Have you had any trouble installing this engine?

I'm located in Greece, so I'm looking for a turnkey package. No room for error! So I'd really appreciate if you can point out a few things I would need to look out for that would make my life easier!